Hydrometer

ABSTRACT

An improved hydrometer having a tubular receptacle with a suction bulb at one extremity and an entrance mouthpiece for electrolyte at the opposite extremity. The interior of the receptacle has a body operatively arranged to remain submerged in the suctioned liquid, the body being fitted with a horizontal arm that passes outwardly of the tube. The arm is provided with a perpendicular axis at its free extremity solidly connected to a needle or pointer. The pointer assembly is housed within a hermetic case or box disposed at the side of the tube and in communication with the electrolyte in the tube.

1 United States Patent 1151 3,678,755 Llucia 1 July 25, 1972 [s41HYDROMETER 2,933,821 4/1960 dEnis ..33/220 Inventor: Antonio mas muchRoger de Flor St- 742,219 10/1903 OConnor et al ..340/244 B BarcelonaSpam Primary Examiner-Richard C. Queisser [22] Filed: Feb. 24, 1970Assistant Examiner-C. E. Snee, ll

AItorney--Wo0dhams, Blanchard and Flynn [21] App1.No.: 13,492

[57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data An improvedhydrometer having a tubular receptacle with a March 1 1969 Spain 146 144Swim bulb extremity and an entrance mmhpie" electrolyte at the oppositeextremity. The interior of the 52 11.5. CI. ..73 454, 33 220A receptaclehas a Pm1ive| arranged remain Int CL wcmc 5 601/" 9/16 merged in thesuctioned liquid, the body being fitted with a [58] Field of Search73/451454 317- hmimma' Passes The is 33/204 220 5 222 346/244 200;provided with a perpendicular axis at its free extremity solidlyconnected to a needle or pointer. The pointer assembly is [56]References Cited housed within a hermetic case or box disposed at theside of the tube and in communication with the electrolyte in the UNITEDSTATES PATENTS tube- 2,312,307 3/1943 Blanchard ..73/454 lClaim,4DrawingFigures 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WWW 34% Inventor A/Vid/V/U W146 ZZZ (74 Allrneyg HYDROMETER This invention refers to an improved hydrometer.

The invention consists of a hydrometer specially designed for revealingthe efficacy and charge of an electric accumulator by means of controlof the electrolyte density process.

The hydrometer of this specification consists essentially of a tubularreceptacle provided with a suction bulk for the electrolyte, saidreceptacle containing a body that remains submerged in the liquid, whichbody is united to a horizontal arm that at its other extremity supportsa movable perpendicular axle connected to a needle that moves over agraduated scale, said axle being provided with ,very sensitive bearingsor pivots, so that the whole assembly is mounted on a horizontal axisallowing a vertical oscillatory movement within a container resultingfrom the impulse received by the body upon being submerged in theelectrolyte.

In reaction to this oscillatory movement by the loss in weight, amagnetic system is incorporated in order that the submerged body shalladopt distinct positions in height according to the density of theelectrolyte being measured.

, The pointer situated in the center of the aforementioned indicatorhand, moves over a graduated sector, the reading of which indicates thedensity of the electrolyte. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a front view in elevation of the device.

FIG. 2 is a conventional cross section of same taken along the line A-B.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the details of the magnetic reaction system.

Referring to the drawing, there is disclosed a glass or plasticcylindrical body 1 which serves as a receptacle for the electrolyte, towhich body 1 there is joined a body 2 generally of the same material,which body 2 encloses and supports the axis of the movable body, thebearings or pivots, the indicator hand and pointer and the magneticarmature, The body 2 defines a narrow compartment 2' in directcommunication with the interior of the tube 1.

The compartment 2' has an axle 3 rotatably disposed therein, the axle 3being disposed for rotation about a horizontal axis which issubstantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube 1.The axle 3 is fixedly secured to one end of a substantially horizontallyelongated arm 14, which arm extends radially from the axle 3 and extendsinto the interior of the tube 1 and has a submergible body 13 fixedlysecured to the other end thereof. The body 13 is movable in a verticaldirection within the tube 1 as illustrated by dotted lines in FIG. 1.The axle 13 also has a pointer or hand 12 fixedly secured thereto andextending radially therefrom substantially in the vertical direction,which pointer is adapted to move relative to the graduated scale 16formed on the body 2. The axle 3, pointer 12, body 13 and arm 14 thussubstantially comprise a rigid one-piece member. The axle 3 also has asmall soft iron armature 8 (FIG. 2) fixedly secured thereto.

The body 2 is provided with an adjustable screw-type pivot member 4 onone side thereof, which pivot member has a suitable tapered supportrecess 17 formed in the inner end thereof. A similar tapered supportrecess 18 is formed in the body 2 opposite the pivot member 4. Thesupport recesses 17 and 18 are adapted to rotatably receive therein the.needle bearings 19 and 20, respectively, which are secured to andextend outwardly from opposite ends of the axle 3.

The body 1 is provided with a rubber suction bulb 10 for suctioning theelectrolyte into tube 1, and a mouthpiece 11 of flexible material forthe entrance of same.

The screw 9 passes through the elongated slot to allow the supportmagnet 5 to be moved in order to vary the magnetic plane.

Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has beendisclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognizedthat variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, includingthe rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the presentinvention.

The embodiments of the invention in which I claim an exelusive propertyor privilege are defined as follows:

1. An improved hydrometer, comprising: a tubular receptacle havingopenings at opposite ends a closed casing fixedly secured to the side ofsaid tubular receptacle, said casing comprising a narrow verticallyelongated compartment fixedly secured to and extending longitudinallyalong one side of said tubular receptacle, said casing having a hollowinterior disposed in communication with the interior of said tubularreceptacle;

an axle rotatably disposed within the interior of said casing andsupported on said casing for rotation about a substantially horizontalaxis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal directionof said tubular receptacle, said axle having an iron armature fixedlysecured thereto for rotation therewith and contained within the confinesdefined by the outer periphery of said axle;

said casing having a tubular support portion extending outwardly thereofin which is rotatable positioned said axle, and bearing means internallyof said tubular support portion coacting between said tubular supportportion and said axle for rotatably supporting said axle relative tosaid casing;

an elongated arm totally disposed within and extending substantiallyhorizontally between the interior of said casing and the interior ofsaid tubular receptacle, one end of said arm being fixedly secured tosaid axle and the other end of said arm being fixedly secured to saidbody, whereby vertical movement of said body within said tubularreceptacle causes a corresponding pivoting of said axle about saidhorizontal axis;

an elongated, substantially vertically extending pointer fixedly securedto said axle and extending radially outwardly therefrom, said pointerbeing positioned within the hollow interior of said casing and disposedfor movement relative to a scale provided on said casing; and

a ringlike permanent magnet mounted externally on said tubular supportportion of said casing in surrounding relationship to said axle and saidiron armature, said ringlike permanent magnet being diametricallymagnetized for creating lines of force which are perpendicular to thehorizontal axis whereby the permanent magnet coacts with said ironarmature on the axle for controlling the pivoting movement of the axleand of the pointer in response to the suctioned liquid contained in thetubular receptacle.

1. An improved hydrometer, comprising: a tubular receptacle havingopenings at opposite ends thereof and adapted for receiving therein aliquid, such as an electrolyte: a flexible suction bulb mounted on oneend of said tubular receptacle for permitting creation of a suctionwithin said receptacle to permit said liquid to be drawn into theinterior thereof; a mouthpiece secured to the other end of saidreceptacle for permitting entrance of liquid into the interior of saidtubular receptacle; a movable body disposed within the interior of saidtubular receptacle and operatively arranged to remain submerged in thesuctioned liquid; a closed casing fixedly secured to the side of saidtubular receptacle, said casing comprising a narrow vertically elongatedcompartment fixedly secured to and extending longitudinally along oneside of said tubular receptacle, said casing having a hollow interiordisposed in communication with the interior of said tubular receptacle;an axle rotatably disposed within the interior of said casing andsupported on said casing for rotation about a substantially horizontalaxis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal directionof said tubular receptacle, said axle having an iron armature fixedlysecured thereto for rotation therewith and contained within the confinesdefined by the outer periphery of said axle; said casing having atubular support portion extending outwardly thereof in which isrotatable positioned said axle, and bearing means internally of saidtubular support portion coacting between said tubular support portionand said axle for rotatably supporting said axle relative to saidcasing; an elongated arm totally disposed within and extendingsubstantially horizontally between the interior of said casing and theinterior of said tubular receptacle, one end of said arm being fixedlysecured to said axle and the other end of said arm being fixedly securedto said body, whereby vertical movement of said body within said tubularreceptacle causes a corresponding pivoting of said axle about saidhorizontal axis; an elongated, substantially vertically extendingpointer fixedly secured to said axle and extending radially outwardlytherefrom, said pointer being positioned within the hollow interior ofsaid casing and disposed for movement relative to a scale provided onsaid casing; and a ringlike permanent magnet mounted externally on saidtubular support portion of said casing in surrounding relationship tosaid axle and said iron armature, said ringlike permanent magnet beingdiametrically magnetized for creating lines of force which areperpendicular to the horizontal axis whereby the permanent magnet coactswith said iron armature on the axle for controlling the pivotingmovement of the axle and of the pointer in response to the suctionedliquid contained in the tubular receptacle.